The Legend of Zelda: Shadows of Dusk
by BleedingRose152
Summary: Link has defeated Ganon and restored peace to Hyrule, and Midna has departed from the world of light. All seems well, but just when things are getting back to normal, Link encounters a mysterious girl who thanks him for something Link's never heard before. Killing her father. When Link learns who her father is, however, he understands that Hyrule won't be at peace much longer.
1. Chapter 1

(GAAAAAH. So many feels! The Legend of Zelda is literally the first thing I EVER wrote fanfiction for. This is my entire childhood! I'm so sorry, I just love this fandom so much. Also, a warning, there will be... self harm in this. I know some people write that like it's something pretty or cute, I AM NOT TRYING TO DO THAT! THAT IS ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE IF I COME ACROSS LIKE THAT PLEASE CORRECT ME OR CALL ME OUT ON IT. Anyway, sorry if I destroy any feels or confuse any of you... I'll try not to. Enjoy!)

She lies on the ground thrashing, trying to claw at the things that want her dead. The creatures loom over her with their knives brandished to hack her to pieces. Her screams of fear and insanity lash out and dance in the night. Her spine tingles. The wounds made from her shackles gush blood and paint the stone floor a cold red. The metallic taste of the crimson liquid coats her tongue as she chokes on her own regret. Water seeps through the ceiling and beats her sob-racked body as her tears mingle with the rain. What little moonlight can shine through the one small window reflects in her dead turquoise pools like mirrors and creates the mirage that threatens her life. The voices ring in her ears. They whisper her name: "Lyllia... Lyllia... Lyllia...!"

"Stop it... Leave me alone!"

Her screaming transforms into blood-curdling shrieking as the voices continue to torture her. She feels her blonde locks being pulled from her scalp without realizing it is by her own hands. This is how she spends each day of her existence.

She can't take it. It's too much. She picks up a piece of her shattered heart and holds the sharp object to her wrist.

Slash.

She hates herself.

Slash.

She wants to die.

Slash.

No one loves her.

Slash. Slash. Slash.

Her arms become laced with deep purple scars as she continues cutting away her pain. Her broken spirit is etched into her skin as she cries. Why her? Only her?

She raises the shard just above her chest. Her life isn't worth living. She whispers a goodbye to the only person she's ever loved and plunges the blade deep into the empty hole where her heart once resided.

She feels nothing.

"Is this what it's like to die?" she questions herself. "It's not as bad as I thought...Wait-is that-panting?"

The familiar scent of a dog wafts up her nostrils, causing her eyes to snap open. She is greeted by her happy blonde German Shepard, curled up beside her in the makeshift tent. Lyllia sighs at the memory of last night, spent suffering in another nightmare. Throwing back her meager blankets, she forces herself to prepare for the day.


	2. Chapter 2

Link reluctantly cracked his sleepy eyes open. Not wanting to be greeted by the sunlight that would inevitably pour through his windows, he groaned and threw his pillow over his face. He had been dreading this day-the day he resumed working on Ordon Ranch. True, he loved the job, but saving Hyrule had left him feeling exhausted.

"Oh, you're finally awake..." a female voice tore through the haze of his mind.

"What the-" Link peered over the balcony's edge. What he saw definately surprised him, to say the least.

A young blonde girl was nonchalantly lounging at his kitchen table devouring the leftover pumpkin soup from last night's dinner. She looked up at him and grinned.

"Hey-o! she said with a wave.

"Wha-Who are you?!" Link questioned.

"Just a girl wondering how you've survived this long when your cooking is this terrible. And y'know, if you wanna know someone's name, you should at least tell them yours first. Not that you really have to, 'cause I already know everything about you." She suddenly stopped eating and looked up to him again. "I'm being creepy, aren't I? I apologize, that's my bad." But seriously, your cooking sucks. I wouldn't feed this to my dog." The German Shepard at her feet barked as if agreeing with her.

"Uh, how'd you get in here? And you never answered my first question."

"Then why the heck did you ask me another one?" the female muttered. She gave an exasperated sigh and explained, "I came in through the front door like a normal person would... unless you consider using a grappling hook to propel through your little skylight there 'normal.' I can't really speak against that since I've done it before, can I? Anyway, the name's Lyllia Kai Dragmire, but you can call me Lyly. Oh, and a word of advice, get a new lock. The one you have now sucks worse than your food."

Link decided to ignore her rudeness and continue asking questions.

"All right, 'Lyly,' what are you doing in my house?"

"Well, at the current moment, I'm sparing you of having to eat this awful soup, obviously."

"If it's so awful, why are you eating it?!"

"I've been traveling for days to get here; I'm starving! Tch, rude!" Lyllia downed the rest of her meal and glanced at Link again. "Y'know, usually when I break into someone's house, they trip out and scream for help or something. But you..." she paused to giggle, her irises twinkling mischievously, "You're pretty calm... Even for a chosen hero, that's a bit strange." Link gave her a wavering glare, making her cackle in delight. "You're funny, kid! Ha ha! Ah, don't worry, I didn't come here to kill ya."

"Then why did you come?" Link asked, curiousity lilting in his voice.

"Long story. You get dressed and come down here. I'll explain over breakfast, Elflord."

* * *

><p>"Wait, you live in Gerudo Desert? No way, I was there not too long ago, and no one was living there..." Link said, shaking his head.<p>

"Well, you see, I'm sort of from the Gerudo Tribe. It's a tribe born from the curse of the Demon King thousands of years ago, when he said his ancestors would avenge him or something..."

Lyllia sat across from the doubting Hylian and gave him a bowl of rice she had just cooked. He simply glowered at it.

"Oh, for the love of Farore, it's not poisoned!"

"And why should I trust you?"

Lyllia huffed and shoved a spoonful of the rice into her mouth.

"There! Happy?!" She quickly ate the food and sat again. "Besides... I don't use poison... I may be an assassin, but that doesn't mean I like it when people suffer. I'd rather end it quickly..."

"Okay..." Link muttered, dragging out the word and making his "visitor" shoot him a harsh look.

"Anyway, my father was a very evil man. He was defeated a century ago by the Hero of Time, but returned somewhere down the line. He pilaged and killed and destroyed the land. The tribe could do nothing to stop him, and the few of us that remained fled Hyrule. I was around six years old at the time... The Royal Family used our abandoned land to build Arbiter's Grounds and my father was captured. When we heard the news, we returned; but after the 'incident' at his execution, we decided it was in our best interest to stay out of the kingdom."

"Wait, wait, wait; you aren't possibly talking about who I think you are."

"If you're thinking about Ganondorf, you're right."

"WHAT?"

"Is it really so shocking?"

"Well, I just..."

"Never pictured him with kids? Yeah, you're partially right. That's what I meant earlier when I said I was 'sort of' from the Gerudo Tribe. Ganon isn't my biological father, he kidnapped me when I was a baby. You see, that's why I came here. To thank you for killing him."

"Thank me? For killing your father?"

"I told you, he's not my real dad. I never knew my real parents. Ganon killed them. It's OK, even though it's not exactly a glamorous lifestyle, it can be exciting. I've trained with a tribe of infamous thieves my whole life, after all."

Link found this girl more confusing by the second.

"So... you're happy you got kidnapped?" he queried.

Lyllia sighed and shook her head. "You idiot. Of course not." She stood up and started walking to his door. "I'll never understand men..." Opening the door, she turned to the male. "And Link... This won't be the last time we meet."


	3. Chapter 3

[UPDATE: I combined the old Chapters 2 & 3 to make it longer, as they were too short (as noted by Lobisomen616). They will make up chapter 2, and this is the new chapter 3. Enjoy.]

The sun filtered through the windows and lit up Link's house. In a surprisingly good mood, he let out a big yawn, sat up... and came face to face with an upside-down Lyllia.

"Sup, douche?"

There goes his good mood...

"Hello, Lyly... What are you doing here?" the Hylian drowsily questioned.

Said blonde glanced up-or down in her case-at the grappling hook she was dangling from.

"Oh..." she sneered with a grin, "just hanging out."

"Oh, ha ha, aren't you just so 'punny' this morning."

"Who peed in your dinner last night?"

"How long have you been hanging over my bed?"

"Not long. I've been scoping out the village all night."

"You didn't steal anything this time, did you?"

A month had passed since Link had met the troublesome vagabond, and Lyllia had developed a habit of prowling around Ordon late at night before coming to pester him. She had stolen some things from the mayor in the process, causing an uproar in the quiet and tranquil scene. Lyllia found this to be comedic, especially when Bo toppled over and rolled down the hill trying to chase after Fado, whom he blamed. Link had to admit, it was an amusing sight, but he was still upset with her.

The thief feigned a look of betrayal. "Whaaat? Little ole' me? Stealing? I think the young hero's mistaken! I would never-" Link rolled his eyes and stood to walk away, prompting Lyly to pipe up and hop down. "Oi! I wanted to ask you for a favor!"

"Why would you need me for something?" Link groaned.

"You said you've been to Arbiter's Grounds, yeah?"

"Yeah..."

"Well, the tribe wants to use it a base of sorts since the Royal Family doesn't use it anymore... and I don't feel like dealing with all those traps and-"

"You're a thief, don't you deal with that all the time?"

"Well, yeah, but it makes more sense to take someone who knows what's going on with you. And besides, you said you needed out of the village more."

Link grimaced and thought to himself, "That's right... I did say that..."

"So 'ya think you could give me and my sister a little tour?"

"Wait, sister?! There's another one?!" Link shouted.

Lyllia giggled. "Well technically, I have three sisters. Two by birth, who I don't really talk to, and the one I adopted. OI! MINA! GET UP HERE!" Link watched in grief and horror as a young child emerged from his basement and climbed up to them. "Link, this is my little sister, Aramina. Mina, this is Elflord."

"Hm... you're actually kind of cute..." Link told the shorter-than-average girl. "How old are you, kid?"

Aramina's brown eyes shot daggars at the male. "I'm twelve, douchebag."

Lyllia howled with laughter and slung an arm over her protege's shoulder. "I've taught you well, sis! Ha ha ha!"

"You've molded her into a perfect copy of yourself..." Link mumbled.

"Sorry about your luck, Elflord, but she was sassy when I found her. Anyway, you up for it?"

Link sighed heavily through his nose and glared at the smirking duo. "...All right."

* * *

><p>"C'mon, rise and shine! Up and at 'em, Elflord!"<p>

Link huffed at Lyllia's cheering and turned over in bed. Lyllia scoffed and walked away. Happy she was gone, Link snuggled further into the warmth of his blankets, only to have Lyllia drown him in cold water.

"WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!" he screeched.

"You wouldn't get up. Now hurry, today's the big day!" Lyllia exclaimed, jumping on his bed and smacking him in the face with a pillow.

"WOULD YOU-PFFFFT-WOULD-ACK-STOP THAT!"

"LAST WEEK YOU PROMISED TO SHOW ME AND MY SISTER AROUND ARBITER'S GROUNDS SO GET UP! "

"I'M TRYING!"

Lyllia backed off and watched as Link climbed out of his nest of comfort, spitting out feathers. "Hehe. I like this pillow. I'm taking it with me."

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!"

"Many things, my child. Many things. At least I was nice enough to make you breakfast." Grumbling, Link walked past her and received a smack to the back of the head. "Don't sass me, or I'll eat your breakfast myself."

"Fine, fine. Pushy. Where's Aramina?"

"She's waiting for us in the desert, so hurry."

"OK!"

After eating and getting ready, Link led Lyllia out of his house, where the village children greeted them and immediately began firing of questions.

"Hey, Link!"

"Link, who's that girl?"

"Why was she in your house?"

"What are you doing?"

"Do we need to have a talk with you, Link?"

"PFFFFFFT hehehehehehe!"

"Shut up, Lyly." Link growled.

" 'Lyly'? Is that your name?" Beth asked.

"Where did you come from, Lyly?"

Lyllia smirked. "I'm the little accident the goddesses breathed into my mother's womb."

"LYLLIA!"

"What?"

"Hey, Lyly!" Talo chimed. "Wanna hear about the time I fought a crazed monkey?!"

"Uh, as cool as that sounds, Link and I have to go."

"Go? Go where?"

"Where are you taking Link, you witch?" Malo hissed.

"None of your business, kid. Don't worry though, I won't keep him forever. I don't think I could handle his whiny butt that long."

"HEY!"

"Oh, get over it, Elflord. Let's go."

"All right… Tell Mayor Bo I left with the Princess of Darkness."

"If you value your life, you'll stop talking."

Link mounted Epona and mumbled something along the lines of "I swear to Nayru, you probably will be the death of me" and took off. Lyllia soon followed, leaving the children to laugh at the bickering pair.


End file.
